


Forbidden Memories

by Hannahdaspannah



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Gen, Hurt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-19
Updated: 2020-11-19
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:16:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27632629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hannahdaspannah/pseuds/Hannahdaspannah
Summary: This is my take on what I thought could have happened when Harry views Professor Snape's memories in the pensieve in OotP
Kudos: 3





	Forbidden Memories

Upon returning to the Professor’s office, Harry just caught a glance at his livid face before his stomach rolled. With strength he didn’t know he had he wrenched himself from Snape’s grasp and lunged for a nearby bin and violently threw up.

When he was finished he saw his most hated Professor was of course now smirking. “Well, well, well. How does it feel to see the truth about your saint of a father then Potter? I expect you’re proud of that aren’t you? Strutting round the school, flouting the rules just like Potter Senior also did”.

There was a pause where Harry collated his thoughts and feelings before he looked up at Snape and replied “Thank you Sir” ignoring his professor’s confused expression he went on “You are the only one who has always told me the truth about my father, you have never sugar coated it like others who have spoken to me about him and his friends. They always told me that he was like the Weasley twins who prank people to cheer them up, or in my 4th year they pranked their own brother because he was being a git towards me but even then it was never malicious.

This that I have just seen in your memories sir, and also I apologise about that, it truly was an accident and I didn’t know how to get out, I did not want to watch those, they’re private, what I saw is full on bullying sir, malicious, arrogant bullying. I hate bullies and now I’ve seen conclusive evidence that my own father and his best friend were the very worst type of them sir. “

Stunned at what he was hearing Professor Snape looked at his student’s pale face still with a slight tinge of green, went to a nearby cupboard and retrieved a few bottles. He held one out to Harry and said “Drink this Potter” “What is it Sir?” “Stomach soother” “Oh, thanks” then he uncorked another and said “I’m taking one of these and I think you should too Potter as I think it will help us both” he was shocked as he saw that Potter recognised the second bottle he was holding out to him and just nodded as he took it from him and downed it, when has precious, pampered Potter ever needed a calming draught?

After a short pause Harry spoke again “Professor how do you put memories in this and erm is it possible to spell it so the person viewing them knows that these memories are real and well not made up?” Professor Snape paused to think about this and said “Yes Potter there is a way to verify the memories shown in here are untampered with as sometimes memories are used for court cases. Why do you want to know? Those memories you saw just now were I can assure you very real indeed”.

“I-I know they were sir and I’m sorry again for looking at them, they were private. Even though I didn’t know what I was doing and entered accidentally it was still wrong. However thank you again for never once sugar coating my dad and his friends to me. I really do hate bullies and right now I’m not quite sure whether I can even face Sirius the next time I see him after seeing this.” Professor Snape frowned but found he couldn’t fault this genuinely honest apology he had received, he nodded accepting Potter Junior’s apology then frowned as he realised the boy had continued to speak.

“I-I would however like to return the favour, I need you to properly see my memories, not just the brief snatches you have seen while I was trying and failing to occlude in our lessons sir. I have never been able to tell anybody the truth about my home life before, though I-I did try to tell Professor Dumbledore after my first year here but I found I couldn’t so I’m hoping that you will watch so that I have finally told someone. Please sir, I know you don’t like me much but please can you do this?”

Professor Snape found that actually he was intrigued to see just what exactly Prince Potter wanted to show him so he said “Come here Potter and trust that I will not harm you” here he saw the boy’s Gryffindor bravery come into play as Potter nervously came closer to him “OK Potter I need you to think hard about the memories you wish to show me and I will extract them for you, it will not hurt but you can close your eyes if this will make things easier for you”.

Gulping Harry nodded, closed his eyes and thought about all the years of abuse and bullying he had put up with under the roof of No4 Privet Drive. Shocked at the long string of memories coming from Potter’s head Professor Snape quickly transferred them to the pensieve and said “OK Potter the person who’s memories these are needs to tap their wand against this rune here and say ‘I Harry James Potter do solemnly swear that the memories I henceforth place in here are the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth” Harry did so and the runes on the bowl flashed a blinding green colour to show this was accepted.

Harry then nervously waited while Professor Snape viewed his memories. A while later a visibly shocked Professor Snape emerged and said “Pot-Harry I believe I owe you an apology for the way I have behaved towards you over the years, whilst this unfortunately cannot change in your lessons for reasons I am sworn to secrecy about unfortunately, I will grade you essays and classwork fairly from now on despite any disparaging comments I will make during the lessons. There is one thing I can do for you however, with your permission I can take these memories to the headmaster and hopefully get you removed from your home address as soon as possible”.

Harry agreed and the professor dismissed him, setting off to the headmaster’s office with Harry’s memories immediately. Whilst Harry did dare to hope the professor would be successful he wasn’t entirely convinced Professor Dumbledore would agree to moving him. He just had to hope and pray that he was wrong and his life at Privet Prison would indeed end soon, knowing his luck though he thought gloomily to himself, it wouldn’t. He set off back to the Gryffindor common room with a lot to think about but knowing one thing, he would NEVER discuss what he had seen in the pensieve with anybody, ever, not even Ron and Hermione. Those were private.


End file.
